Required Reading

my new year

2011-12-17T12:30:00.004-05:00

A year ago at this time, I was in a bit of a panic. The number 25 loomed over my head. It looked a lot like that stink cloud Pig-Pen always traveled with. By most standards, it is definitively the ¼ mark of a lifetime (if you’re lucky). It is the rounding of the corner, after that you are on the fast track to 30. And 30 seemed to be a lot older last year than it does from my current vantage point.

The highpoint of this momentous day one year ago was the repetition of a tiny little phrase said to me in passing “25 was the best year of my life.” I decided to latch on, to make it my beacon leading me onward.

Without a doubt, the past year has been a favorite. It was filled with surprises. I did some incredible things. I also did some dumb things. And there are a few things I did I am still trying to categorize.

Allow me to bring you up to speed, and to share with you some of the reasons a new year (whenever it falls) is not to be feared.

1. It snowed on Christmas!
2. I rented my first car. (and immediately drove it in a terrifying foot of snow)
3. Dana, Sinamon, Jenny, Merridith, Natasha, Julia, Laura M., Laura H. Susan, Allie, Liz
4. Liza’s noodle bar
5. Rooftop worship in Phnom Penh
6. Pumpkin quiche @ Sugar ‘n Spice (and the brother who served it gleefully)
7. Prayer walking through the alleyways of Phuket
8. An invitation into a home
9. I made some daring transportation choices in Thailand.
10. 30 days of challenging nights
11. The book of Psalms
12. Lunching with new friends
13. I rode an elephant.
14. My opinion of India was so changed from the beginning to the end of my stay.
15. The second hour of every day
16. Precious children of a RLD
17. Sweating more in one day than the rest of my life collectively. But it was a good day. And worth it.
18. szechuan wraps
19. Christy, Mama G, and a Wellspring welcome
20. learning to see Atlanta through the eyes of a Savior
21. a mermaid birthday
22. A Stone Mountain refuge
23. Reunioning with family
24. My wedding fiasco #1 (*extreme allergic reaction)
25. A last minute summer job
26. 22 new people near and dear to my heart
27. PHILADELPHIA!
28. Rebecca @ Journey’s Way
29. New York City, the Jersey Shore, and Ocean City, Maryland (1 ¾ trailer included) all in one week.
30. There is a long list of people I spent only a week with but will forever cherish.
31. Valley Forge. Actually, a conversation I had in a van while driving around Valley Forge makes me laugh to this day.
32. God pointed me in a new direction. Forcefully.
33. A Greenville weekend with Jenn, and BAM! A new favorite city
34. A bachelorette weekend to remember
35. My 1st 5k! Under 30 minutes, here I come.
36. Team Awesome reunites!
37. Picking up a broken heart
38. A friend’s generosity and a trip to Wicked
39. Summer friends in close proximity
40. Wedding fiasco #2 (*”Anna, why is your dress a different color than mine?”)
41. FINALLY, a visit to the Whittaker household.
42. The passing on of Mimi the Echo – hello Clara the Patriot!
43. A grueling trek across the country
44. Staying with friends and seeing new sites (always say yes to Jackson, WY and no to Butte, MT. Always. )
45. Over 160 hours straight spent with my little sis
46. Day 3 in Seattle: a motorcycle cop pulled me over
47. I live in a park on Lake Washington.
48. Moving furniture is not easy with only 2 hands.
49. God speaks through people who seem the most unlikely.
50. The Hallows Church
51. Every hill of Seattle affords a breathtaking view.
52. Netflix and Hulu may be remedies to not knowing ANYONE in a city.
53. The genius of video chatting
54. Inexplicable laughter
55. Lots and lots of mail
56. Becoming an adult is not an easy process.
57. Trials and comfort… sometimes they coexist.

I may have gotten carried away with my list. I wanted to write 25 things about what made year 25 so great. But I could just keep going. It wasn’t even that the year wasn’t to be feared. Because the past year has included a lot of scary things. Things that I am still struggling to comprehend, and things I am still recovering from. But it was good. So good.

This year, I am trading in my cloud. I will let you know when I figure out how to define its replacement.

2011-01-15T03:23:00.001-05:00

Today: Seattle. Tomorrow: Somewhere over the Pacific Ocean. Sunday: Cambodia. We are on our way!

just another day in paradise

2009-07-05T18:43:00.002-04:00

What is it about immersion that causes you to become like your surroundings?

You know, the "when in Rome" syndrome of needing to blend in to your habitat. Go to Mexico for 3 weeks and you start thinking you can speak Spanish like a native. Live in Africa for awhile and you look at everyone around you with disdain for all of the crazy things we do here in America, like everyone driving a car. Hang out with high schoolers as your job and suddenly you're thinking about egging houses and rolling cars all over again.

Being individually unique and all that does not seem so appealing when it feels like you're the only on. Being called to stand out is no fun when you are standing naked on a stage in front of your whole world.

Why does mediocrity scream of appeal and courage diminish with every step we take in that direction?

bea-u-tiful

2009-03-23T11:03:00.001-04:00

I wait for snow.

Each winter, especially around Christmas while singing all about it with Bing, I plead with the chilly air and promising skies to throw me a tiny little gift. Just a little snow will do.

And sometimes I wait for years and years and years. Snow days no longer effect me, but knowing someone, somewhere is joyous about 8 extra free hours added to their youth puts me in a glorious mood.

Now in March, I still see all of the effects of Snow Storm 2009. Huge trees uprooted, branches broken, dead flowers and gardens, some revived creeks and streams. Those few inches left their mark.

When the roads and the field were blanketed in snow, it all looked so peaceful. Serene and pure, like our part of the earth had been wiped clean, and we had a chance to do it all over again.

Whether or not you like the cold or desire the snow, it brings a cover of beauty.

But ordinary land cannot take the pressure of that much beauty. Trees crack and break, the ground turns to mush, man made surfaces become death traps.

There is beauty to behold.

And it takes more than an earthly power to hold it in place.

DVR will mess with your mind

2009-03-22T11:04:00.001-04:00

Prior to my current situation, I have never really watched a lot of TV. I would (almost) never give up "the Office" (except for Madagascar), but anything else I generally lived without. Call it a result of growing up with only rabbit ears on the roof that need to be adjusted for wind variations.

But these days I have a lot of time on my hands.

My time in front of the glowing box is still relatively small, but a new element has been added to the equation.

DVR (TiVO for some) seems to be a lifeline for some families. No more fighting over which show to watch or "I have to stay up to watch this episode." And no more unwanted commercials: backwards robes, knives, sham wows included.

The trick is, obviously, to start every show you want to watch 20 minutes after it actually begins. Then you can be as commercial free as you desire to be.

But beware. It only works in certain situations; you have to record and maneuver just right. And only on the TV.

If you are in a movie theater and think you may have missed something important, no rewinding for you. If you are stuck in an awkward situation, there will be no fast forwarding. When you are riding along in your car and wish to slow the view down and take it all it, no such luck.

DVR may have the capability to make TV life a little easier. But everything else is just as complicated.

time marches on

2009-02-13T12:15:00.002-05:00

Okay, you got me. I am in fact no longer in Madagascar. My time on the island drew to a close. I would like to make it known that I was not voted off. No indeed, I made it until the end.

You might call me a survivor. But I would prefer the term thriver.

So I'm back in the states and looking for a job. I'm not dead set on a career, but maybe developments will happen.

But I am terrible at looking for a job. In every application I send out I either sound really depressed or extremely arrogant. There is no real in between for me.

Goodbye to Madagascar

2008-12-12T13:58:00.001-05:00

Friday, December 12

Tomorrow I fly out. I am headed to mainland Africa for a few days, and then homeward bound.

And it is a weird feeling. My time here in Madagascar has felt like 4 months. Not any more or any less. Right now it feels like it is the heart of summer, but somewhere within I know I am in the middle of the Christmas season.

I am still saying my goodbyes. And the more that happen, the more real they all seem. I am actually leaving.

I have loved my time here. Thank you all for you encouragement and prayers. And your love. I love you all back. And I would love to tell you more about this part of my life spent in Africa. Chances are, I will try to find the time to do just that.

But for now, I am signing off.

Would it be too cheesy to say "good night and good luck."?

A day on the town

2008-12-12T13:57:00.001-05:00

Thursday, December 11

For the last week or so, I have felt much like a tourist. We have been making an effort to see parts of the city that are particularly interesting, and I have used my camera as much as physically possible. Today was no exception.

Crysti and I decided we would walk up to the Queen's Palace for the 2nd and last time.

We did not know ho we were going, except for being able to see the palace (old and under construction). So we started walking.

And pretty quick we started walking up some rather steep hills. To begin the trek, it was no fun. But it got us up there. And we even got to go inside and see the chapel… and some of the old crown jewels. And the ruins of the school built by the first missionaries to Madagascar.

Our guide even let us take pictures (regardless of signs and notices).

And the goodbyes begin

2008-12-12T13:56:00.000-05:00

Saying goodbye is a process. People leave before you are going, but will not return until after. You only have so many days to see all of the people you know and love.

It does not happen all at once. And it dos not happen easily.

But it does happen.

And it brings change.

You should go by Taxi

2008-12-12T13:55:00.000-05:00

Friday, December 5

Malagasy people do not often see non Malagasy people on the Taxi be. They are a little surprised when they do. And I have said before it is entertainment for me and for them.

These buses are around the size of your average church van and are generally filled with at least 25 people. Today, we were headed to Emeish's house around rush hour time. And not only were all of the seats and make-shift seats full, but there were people standing in the back, too.

And Crysti and I needed to get off. She was in the front, so she squeezed by a few people. I was towards the back, so I had to push my way to make people move. But no one was willing to get off the bus. So I pushed and prodded, and tried to contort my body in ways that would aid in the process.

And I know just enough Malagasy to know that when I finally did get off, the guy in the back told me I should go by taxi.

I might agree.

Oh, I don't know if that is going to fit…

2008-12-12T13:54:00.000-05:00

I have thought this frequently while traveling in Antananarivo. I have thought, "man, I don't think I am going to fit in that space" or "there is no way someone else is going to sit here, too." And as often as I have thought such a thing, I have also been proven incorrect. I have been shown that I have too little faith.

That's right, I need to believe that a normal person will be able to squeeze on to a 6 inch piece of a seat.

I need to believe that a basket of chickens will be able to fit nicely under a vendor's seat. I need to believe that 4 feet is almost too much space for a bus to get through. I need to believe that another hundred or so people could fit in a 20 sq. ft. market vending area.

I need to believe.

3rd time's the charm

2008-12-12T13:52:00.000-05:00

Thursday, December 4

Bad things come in three's, right?

I cannot think of another cliché to fit my theme, but let me tell you about this week.

First let me fill you in on something about me. I fall a lot. Or I make other things fall a lot. Think back on my stories about shopping and then my face plant outside my apartment. Neither were my most graceful moments.

And this has not been my most graceful week. Sunday morning at church, I fell for the first time. I was sitting in my wooden chair, but then we had to shuffle around a little in order to fit everyone into the circle our small group was forming. So I moved. And I left my rather heavy purse dangling on the back. And I begin to sit down in my chair, again, it began to fall backwards. I realized this in the process of sitting, and so I did sit. Awkwardly on the floor.

The second 2 falls of this week happened today. First, as we were walking along the sidewalk, my knee gave way and I found myself sitting semi-cross legged on the ground. I popped back up fast, but my teammates still noticed.

In the afternoon some of our friends took us to a little resort-like place with a pool and tennis courts (yay!). I ate lunch, waited a little while and then decided it would be safe enough to head into the little kiddie pool. Wrong. I took one step onto the stairs, slipped, hit my buttocks on the stairs, and then landed. Again in a sitting position.

It might have been a blow to my pride.

one of my favorites...

2008-12-02T03:36:00.002-05:00

Because I have been feeling particularly festive this past week, I thought I would offer you one of my Christmas favorites…

(particularly when sung by Bebo Norman, Ed Cash, and at least one other guy I can never remember)

o come, o come Emmanuel

and ransom captive Israel

that mourns in lonely exile here

until the son of God appear

rejoice, rejoice Emmanuel

shall come to thee, o Israel

o come thou dayspring, come and cheer

our spirits by thine advent here

dispense the gloomy clouds of night

and deaths dark shadows put to flight

rejoice, rejoice Emmanuel

shall come to thee, o Israel

o come thou wisdom, from on high

and garter all things far and nigh

to us the path of knowledge show

and cause us in her ways to go

rejoice, rejoice Emmanuel

shall come to thee, o Israel

o come desire of nations bind

in one the hearts of all mankind

in thou, our sad divisions cease

and be thyself our king of peace

rejoice, rejoice Emmanuel

shall come to thee, o Israel

I am thankful for...

2008-12-02T03:33:00.002-05:00

Thursday, November 27

(these are in no particular order, but the levels and intensity of thankfulness does vary)

…family and friends far away whom I love

… the opportunity to be working in such a place on such a day for such a reason

… green bean casserole

… love

… a promised future still unknown

… the joy, wonder, love, and grace in the birth of the heavenly Son

… Christmas music

… a rain jacket

… Taco Bell mild sauce (I am dedicated even in its absence)

… new beginnings

Thanksgiving Preparations!

2008-12-02T03:33:00.001-05:00

Wednesday, November 25

You see, things are a little bit different here in Mada.

Such as Crysti and I are in the minority (in several ways) but also because we are some of the few people who buy things at the grocery store. And we sometimes look for things that people do not usually buy. Cereal included. Also, French's Fried Onions. And when we look at food, we recognize that things sometimes look different than we are used to.

Like sweet potatoes are red on the outside and white inside. Which is weird when you are baking a sweet potato soufflé (really a casserole). The color white is rather unforgiving.

Canned soup is non-existent, so making green bean casserole can be a little tricky.

And pecans don't exist on the island.

It was certainly a process. But in the end, we had a pecan pie, a sweet potato concoction, and a green bean casserole to contribute to the festivities. And I was thankful for that. Which is kind of the whole point of the day, right?

Christmas Time is Here

2008-12-02T03:32:00.000-05:00

Wednesday, November 25

It does not feel like winter here. (That is because technically, we are now entering summer, instead.) Ergo, it does not feel like Christmas. The weather is too hot and rainy, I have not been in school in forever (another indicator of summer), and I have seen no smattering of Christmas lights in town or on houses.

So it can be easy to forget that this lovely (and particularly meaningful) holiday is only a month away.

Luckily, Crysti and I had to go to the grocery store and investigate some substitutions for the Thanksgiving dishes we needed to improvise. And BAM! we found evidence of the season. Almost like Wal-Mart (but much more expensive). Christmas trees, decorations, toys for the season, all properly displayed for all to see.

But best of all… Christmas music loudly echoing through the warehouse building. And not just any music. AND not just in English. I could hardly contain my excitement at our good fortune, it was Mariah Carey. And she was telling me all that she wanted for Christmas.

That was all it took. I mean, Mariah does not exactly point to "the reason for the season," but still she helped me remember. Without lights, trees, wrapped presents, wintry weather, and family plans. It is still Christmas.

And I am grateful. Especially for Christmas. But also for Mariah.

Karaoke - American School Style

2008-12-02T03:31:00.002-05:00

Friday, November 21

So I have said that people here generally love karaoke. And that stereotype is not restricted to only the Malagasy.

At the American school (population not exclusively American) there was a student government fundraiser, and we all went to take part. And take part we did.

Early in the night, while people were eating their hamburgers and chips, the performers were scanty. But as everyone finished, the rush began to pick up. Fortunately I was able to join a few crowds of people who went up to sing an Avril song I did not know and a Michael Jackson song I did.

Unfortunately, the Bon Jovi song I was particularly excited to demolish did not come back around before it was time for us to leave. Maybe next time.

3 Weeks….

2008-12-02T03:31:00.001-05:00

Friday, November 21

It is true. As of today, our team only has 3 weeks left here in Tana. Then we fly back to mainland Africa, spend a few days there. Then homeward bound.

The time has really past quickly, and even now continues to fly.

But we are still here. And while we are, we'll continue to work. Right up until the very end!

She is not happy.

2008-12-02T03:30:00.001-05:00

Wednesday, November 19

Just as Crysti and I were finishing working with the drama club as they prepare for their Christmas show, it began to pour down rain. Think sheets of rain when you cannot see your hand in front of you if you hold it out… and that is close.

So we waited, but not too long because we had to get home. Luckily we remembered that we each have a poncho that we carry around with us on most occasions. (Mine is courtesy of UGA and the likelihood of rain at my graduation.)

We broke 'em out and put them on. Then we danced around in the rain some before we traveled on our merry way.

Interesting fact: if there is something more interesting than 2 white women in Madagascar, it is 2 white women wearing clear ponchos in the pouring rain.

We hurried to catch a bus and jumped quickly on. I should have taken my poncho off first, but I didn't think about it. The woman beside me let me know how she felt, though.

At first I thought that she was just sleeping, but I quickly realized she was trying to ward off the ill feelings she felt towards me and my wetness invading her miraculously dry clothing.

That was my bad.

Monsoon Season

2008-12-02T03:29:00.000-05:00

Just in case you were wondering. Monsoon season is in full force.

Crazy hot humidity in the mornings and throughout the day. And then around mid-afternoon, the bottom drops out and down water to…. I don't know. But it is a lot of water. And it just keeps coming. Really, I often think it will never end.

But eventually it does. And then I slip and slide in the mud, eventually making it to whatever destination I previously had in mind.

And then the heat builds, and it happens all over again.

African Flea :(

2008-11-17T07:14:00.000-05:00

Sunday November 16, 2008

I have been back from the village a week now. And last night I found a visitor that accompanied me home.

I found it in my foot. It's a thing called an African Flea, and apparently they borough themselves into the skin on your feet. Then you have to remove them from their hiding place.

Interestingly, it did not hurt at all. Lalaina says they usually itch, but I never noticed that. And the removal process was not painful.

But I think I thought it should be painful. So my body broke out into a sweat. I began to feel nauseous and seriously thought I might pass out. There was really no reason for all of that. But it's how I reacted.

I am a wimp.

Adala Be (Very Crazy)

2008-11-17T07:11:00.000-05:00

The rainy season has begun. That was pretty apparent in the village, where rolling storms happened almost very afternoon. And the rain is good. Especially for villages that survive off the growth of rice and other crops.

But one afternoon it did not rain. And we discovered another benefit of rain.

Turns out, they also keep some of the bugs away. So when it did not rain, these tiny little beetles would fly around and attach themselves to whatever they landed on. Which included clothes, hair, and skin.

This particular night Crysti, Jason, and I were talking and walking in the direction of our "dining hall." It was dark, but our chefs were using a generator to cook dinner, so much of the village was gathered around listening to some musicians and dancing.

Around the same time, the three of us realized that these beetles were all over us. We may have freaked out a little. Not really meaning to cause a scene (and thinking we had the cover of darkness to protect us), we all began running around in an effort to lose the bugs and shake off those that were attached.

So we are flailing around and swatting at ourselves for a few minutes, and the music continues. I kind of recovered myself first, thinking our tactics not really effective. And when I looked up, there was a line of villagers, all watching the crazy foreigners running around and hitting themselves.

I am objective enough to know how insane we looked.

Ambatomenjaka

2008-11-17T07:05:00.000-05:00

We only spent one afternoon in the larger and more modern village of Ambatomenjaka. We went into the city to show a film, but unfortunately it did not work.

So we told stories, sang songs, played games, and tried to entertain the mass of people who came to the building we were working in.

Only 4 km away from Antamboho, it was interesting to see the differences in this city and the one we were staying. The people in this town were not timid at all about approaching us. They kind of mobbed us, actually. Truly, they were eager to meet us, and almost just as eager to touch our hair.

It was a fun afternoon, but it was also nice to return to the quieter village of Antamboho.

Antamboho

2008-11-17T07:04:00.001-05:00

Life in the village was certainly a little different than life here in Tana.

Roosters serve their purpose, for one thing. Yep, every morning between 5:00 and 5:30 all of the roosters around would make their noise and tell us all it was time to get up. Which was okay, because we went to sleep around 8:30 each night.

They built a shower house specifically for our group behind the building we were staying. And they cleaned the Water Closet to be ready for our coming.

About 300 people live in Antamboho, so knowing the presence of 12 new people was unavoidable. They all knew my name "Yanna" even though most of the time the people were too timid to approach me.

Every morning we opened the clinic, and the families poured in. Medicine, glasses, advice, typically they were just looking for some kind of clue to let them know what was happening. And so we did what we could.

But just 4 days of 8 hour clinics was not enough to help everyone. Nor enough to cure those it helped.

Over the hills and through the woods...

2008-11-17T07:02:00.000-05:00

So indeed, we went on our trip.

And I was serious (although I did not know how much so until we went) when I said this village was off the beaten path. For awhile, the trip was on a normal Malagasy road. Curvy and narrow… and a speed limit free for all. But then we took a right off the road.

No more pavement, I'm talking a dirt road. And it kind of looks like Georgia red clay.

The curves continue on all roads, even these in the "backwoods." But this road brought with it a new sense of panic. There was definitely nothing at all to keep us from taking a tumble off one of the mountains/hills. And when the rain set in, I was extremely glad to see some gravel scattered on the more precarious sections of the passage.

Funny what the Malagasy people call hills. Truthfully, I would say the entire country is one mountain after another. They just continue to run into one another. But all of our friends here call them hills. And they are adamant that the country only has a few mountains to speak of.

Maybe it is humility. Or perspective, I cannot be too sure which.

Yeah, it's remote.

2008-11-17T06:57:00.000-05:00

Tuesday November 04, 2008

This week my team, a group of Malagasy people, and a couple from the United States are taking a trip into a village. A village somewhat far off the beaten path. With no electricity and no running water.

We are going to be spending the week sleeping on the floor of the school building and helping to do some medical work for this village and several surrounding villages.

I have to say, we are all super excited. It is a time for us to get out of the city and spend some time in the quiet. Away from all the buses and people… and with even less of the comforts of home.

Mada Raid

2008-11-15T08:22:00.002-05:00

Saturday November 1

Think Bible Drill and Field Day together as one.

Complete with relays and Biblical knowledge questions it is an annual event. We were on the only English team, but it was a lot of fun. Pretty friendly competition and out in some fields way outside of town.
Sometimes I did not have any idea what we were doing. I just followed the crowd and did as they did.

That means, I ran or carried someone, or picked leaves with everyone else.

And we all had a great time doing it.

Say what?

2008-11-15T08:21:00.004-05:00

Saturday November 1

As we are getting ready to leave Tana our supervisor mentioned something we needed to be careful of. Something in Malagasy. But he said it in a large group and did not fill us in on what it meant.

At the time it made me a little nervous. But I didn't think about it too much until later.

I realized there was something I was supposed to be concerned about and did not know what or why.

And then I asked. And he explained. Cattle rustlers.

That is what I was to be nervous about, these cattle rustlers. They steal cattle. And other things. And they have been spotted more lately in the villages. Apparently they are someone relentless and unable to be stopped.

I never thought I would be warned about people who steal cattle. I mean, I don't own any cattle.

Who cares if it's cold, I'm turning on the fan.

2008-11-15T08:21:00.003-05:00

We found a method the generally works to keep away the mosquitoes. Remember, the ones that break their huddle as soon as they are sure that we are asleep.

It is called: turn on the fan.

That's right. It is really as simple as that. I turn the fan on, point it at my face, and take an eight hour nap or so.

And the miracle of it… I don't hear buzzing sounds in my ear. Who knew?

We're in a studio?

2008-11-15T08:20:00.001-05:00

Friday October 31

Sometimes we say yes to things but don't really know what we are getting ourselves into.

Like today. We told some friends we would go and sing with them. And when we got to the place, we quickly realized, this would not be karaoke.

I somehow found myself singing again. In a studio. A padded, sound proof studio full of lots of music equipment.

And it continued for an hour or so. The four of us and five of our Malagasy friends sang and played. Not well. But we pressed on. And we had fun.

Artisan Market

2008-11-15T08:19:00.001-05:00

Thursday October 30, 2008

There's a special market that happens every Thursday and Friday in town. Not the fruits and vegetables kind of market. But the, "you can buy something for everyone you know" kind of market.

We went a little late in the day, and seemed to be some of the only people there. It was getting close to dusk (around 5 in the evening) and many of the sellers had already packed up for the day.

So everyone who was still there, took it upon themselves to sell things to me and Crysti. We may or may not have taken them all up on their offer.

But it was fun to see everything that people make and sell. Purses and dolls, wooden statues and jewelry. Really, it was just a feast of things to look at and peruse.

Because we are not enough of a spectacle

2008-11-15T08:18:00.000-05:00

So sometimes space on a Taxi be gets kind of crowded. I know I have mentioned this before, but it is still true.

Even when apparently full buses pull up to the bus stop, Crysti and I have learned to force our way to the back of the bus and push our way on.

And sometimes that results in situations like this particular one.

There were already 25 people on the bus (remember we are talking just a little larger than a minivan), but we knew we had to get on while we could. We also knew the next bus would be just as crowded.

We hopped on, and I quickly realized that we may have been in for more than I had originally bargained for. The guy that lets everyone on and off the bus pulled out a board and handed it to Crysti, who put the board down and sat. At this point, I am trapped. There is a girl sitting on a board just in front of me, and Crysti is right behind me.

I made the only choice possible. I took a seat in Crysti's lap. And everyone laughed. I cannot be sure what they were saying, but it was probably something about the crazy white girls sitting on each other.

It too was good times.

Learning to Salsa

2008-11-15T08:16:00.001-05:00

October 24, 2008

After our English course, Daniel, Jason, Crysti, and I went to the place we have gone to for karaoke a few times. We were just going for pizza, but we ended up getting a little more than we bargained for.

A Malagasy man who lives in Paris was in the country for the week. And he happened to be at the Coffee Bar for the evening. And his passion just so happens to be salsa.
That's right, it was Salsa Night. Complete with a quasi-Mexican menu and free dance lessons. I ate fajitas (not what you would typically order at a Mexican restaurant, but kinda close). And learned a little Salsa, Mambo, and Rumba.

It was a lot of fun, there were not that many of us, but that helped with the learning. Our instructor told me I had sweet dances moves.

Well, he did not exactly say that, but he did say something about me being a quick learner.

the scariest audience yet

2008-11-15T08:14:00.000-05:00

October 21, 2008

Crysti and I began a new English course. We are teaching the administrators of a private institute. That's right, administrators. Including the president.

Our first meeting was supposed to be an assessment of the level of English communication. And it was intense. Everyone was intermediate to advanced, and they all had very specific ideas about what they want to learn.

It was intimidating. I am not even sure I know more English than they do, much less have the ability to teach them some things they do not already know.

a leave of absence...

2008-11-03T08:08:00.002-05:00

hey all! sorry it has been a little while since I have written. There is a lot I will have to fill you in on. For now, though, I will be on a break. My team and I leave tomorrow (Tuesday Nov. 4), bound for villages. With no electricity (and no running water) posting is not going to happen... sorry about that. I will tell you all about it upon my return.

But I love you all. And I will update soon!

14 powerless hours

2008-10-22T10:18:00.000-04:00

One of the Baptist preachers had Crysti and me over for dinner with his family. It was delicious, and we ended the night with prayer and singing. It is just fun to spend time in Malagasy homes.

When we finished, they walked us home. They even showed us a shorter path that is not along the woods. And we invited them in, just to show them our home.

But that was more easily said than done.

I tried to flip the switch in the entryway, no lights. I tried the stair lighting, again no lights. We got into our apartment, but as you may have guessed, no lights. We showed them what we could, then said goodnight.

Luckily Crysti and I both have flashlights. We did what we needed to do, I read some, but after awhile, it did not seem like the lights were coming back on anytime soon. I called it a night… a really early night.

When I woke in the morning, I immediately reached to flip on my lap. No good. Still no electricity.

Funny how not having electricity makes you realize all of the things you count on it for. I did not mind so much, but somehow it made my time here seem a little more real.

It reminded me of God's purpose in his placement and his timing.

What's your name? Mine is more awesome.

2008-10-22T10:17:00.001-04:00

October 18, 2008

Tsikitsikilava.

Roughly translated, it means something along the lines of "long smile." Aina told me it was my new name. And I like it. She says it is because I am always smiling.

The way it rolls off the tongue, kind of makes you think of Rikki Tikki Tavi.

I'll still respond to Anna, too :)

We may be lost.

2008-10-22T10:14:00.001-04:00

October 17, 2008

I have been in Tana for more than two months. That is more than 60 days of getting around, going from place to place, and finding a way to live.

I have gotten on the wrong Taxi be a few times, but those problems have been easily solved. I just get off and find another way to my destination. Or I keep riding the bus and wait to see where it takes me.

It is a whole other world when you try to give directions trying to get from place to place. I know I have to turn… but I'm not quite sure where that might be. I also know I usually see this store on my way home, but it might have been while going in the opposite direction.

So I got lost getting back to my apartment. Oh, we made it eventually. But not before returning to Antanimena and basically starting from scratch at this central part of the city.

It is one of the downsides of basically every street in the city looking mostly alike.

What would you do with only one elbow?

2008-10-22T10:10:00.001-04:00

October 15, 2008

After seeing all the lemurs, we continued on to the crocodile farm.

We had to have seen at least 30 crocodiles. Mostly, they all just seemed really lazy, basking in the sun. There were other things, too. Turtles and birds and a snake… and foosas!

They were all entertaining to see. And seeing as I am in Africa, and who knows if I will ever see these things again, I had to take as many pictures as possible.

"Crysti, take one of me in front of these crocodiles."

They were all behind a fence so I figured, what could happen?

It took a minute or so to put the camera on the right setting. I shifted around a few times… she took a few pictures and then I leaned my elbow on the fence for one more. As she took the picture, I heard the noise of movement from behind in the fence.

And in the picture, you can see the crocodile's head coming up towards my elbow, hanging over the fence.

Lemur Attack

2008-10-22T10:06:00.003-04:00

October 15, 2008

In the national park, aka the rainforest, our guide walked us around and showed us lemurs jumping from tree to tree. They were pretty high up for the most part. Enjoying their morning routines and singing to us. As the day grew a little later, they crept further towards all of the on looking humans. But never did they get close enough for us to touch.

We saw a lot of cool stuff in the trees, including frogs and geckos and birds, but we did not think we were going to get much closer than that.

We left the park, we back to our hotel, ate lunch, I read some, and then we all headed out again to "lemur island." It is a park of one of the other bungalow resorts. And at this place, there were other, more tame lemurs.

All around the island, we could see a moat, keeping in the lemurs who are afraid to swim. A guide came and took Cysti and I across first. Immediately, lemurs came at us. They began sniffing us and searching for bananas. When the boys got there, and the guide with all of his bananas, it was a free for all. Lemurs jumping everywhere. Eating out of hands and performing for us.

It was pretty cool… but there was more fun to be had.

Our guide led us to the other side of the island and pointed to another shore. He said we were going to go over there and check out that island… solely brown lemurs over there. Again, the transportation was by canoe, and this one had room for only one other person at a time.

SO I hopped in. He took me over, and immediately lemurs came at the boat. He dropped me off and went back to get the others. I stood on the shore, waiting these new lemurs as they continued to appear.

And suddenly I was covered in lemurs. No kidding, 12 lemurs chilling out and crawling all over me. And here I am standing on the island by myself, watching my team on the other side, not paying attention. I decided this was going to be something they needed to see "Hey guys! This makes me nervous." They, along with a group of at least 15 other tourists, turned to look. It had to be a sight, this girl covered in lemurs not really sure whether or not to freak out. (I also had a banana hidden in my back pocket that they were trying to get at.)

It was insane. Awesome. But insane.

The Rainforest!

2008-10-22T10:05:00.003-04:00

October 14, 2008

Tananarive is pretty intense. Lots of people, lots of traffic, lots of smog, 8 hills to go over in order to get anywhere, lots of smells (good and bad). It's a good life, but sometimes you forget that something like peace and quiet actually exist in other places.

But our team took a trip. We headed out of town (not straight out. These hills are not for the faint of stomach. But everyone insists that they are just that. Hills, not mountains. It makes me wonder what they would think of the Appalachians.)

About 20 km out, I began to see open space again. And the sky was clean. Ahh… I knew it was going to be nice.

And it was. We trekked through the forest and saw all kinds of creatures. We also stayed in bungalows, and were woken up by the singing of the lemurs each morning.

It was just so Madagascar.

New People

2008-10-22T10:03:00.001-04:00

October 11, 2008

The presence of the IMB in Madagascar is a fairly recent thing. It has only been within the past six years that missionaries have returned, after quite a long absence.

But as of today, they are back in full force :)

My team and I went to the airport to welcome in two families and two Journeymen to the already growing team. It is exciting to know that people will be here and others will continue to come once our time here is up.

…halfway

2008-10-22T10:01:00.001-04:00

October 12, 2008

We are right around the halfway point of our time here. It is nice, because everything has really gotten started. One of the biggest comforts is in feeling like we have friends here. People we can eat with and share with. It is nice to not spend so much time to ourselves.

But it is odd to think our time is only half over. So many things have happened in the past few months (I'm sure more is to happen in these next two). So many meetings, with ourselves and at the various institutes. So much preparation. And now the action.

When I look back, it is difficult to believe that all of fit within the confines of a few months. Hardly seems possible to shove so much stuff into such a space.

Sometimes Things Fall

2008-10-22T09:57:00.002-04:00

October 11, 2008

Truthfully, I fall a lot (see "face plant on the sidewalk"). So I guess I should not be too surprised that things around me often tend to fall as well.

Every morning when I wake up, I roll up the blinds that are on the outside of my window. It is a crank on my window (helping me to get sweet arm muscles). This morning when I was letting in the scorching sunlight, that begins around 5:30, something inevitable happened.

My curtains fell into my arms. The whole shebang detached itself from the wall and landed directly in my outstretched arms. It did not feel good, and my wall did not like it too much either.

But like I said, with certain people, things tend to happen. My gift is in making things fall.

Fear on a Taxi be

2008-10-22T09:55:00.000-04:00

I have said before that things can get pretty tight on a taxi be. Back home, we would consider these buses to have room for 15 people. Even then people would have to be hanging out all openings. But here, miraculously 23 people have been known to hop on without thinking.

Generally, public transportation is quiet crowded, but it is inexpensive and easily accessed. It is our main mode of transportation, and rather efficient.

I don't mind it so much. Interestingly, it is Crysti who usually sits next to the people on the bus who speak English. Typically, I sit in silence, read a book, or try to take in everything that happens outside the bus. Sometimes I am crushed up against the window or the person sitting to my side. But I always get to my destination.

Despite the lack of road rules and the crowdedness of the mode of transportation, there is really only one thing I fear when I am riding on a Taxi be. Sometimes it includes an extreme amount of luggage I need to carry. But the fear does not require luggage, it need only be me.

It is the feeling of "how am going to find my way off this thing?" When a bus fills up, the aisle is full of makeshift seating and there may still be people standing at the rear of the bus. So when you are seating somewhere in the middle, up against the window, the thought often comes to mind, "20 people are going to have to get off this thing for me to get home."

Each time, I have made my way off… sometimes knocking people in the face, others kicking a few shins.

Still, knowing I can get off, and thinking I will be able to are two very different things.

It can be a pickle of a situation.

Madajazzcar

2008-10-22T09:54:00.002-04:00

October 09, 2008

There is a festival of extreme proportions that happens every year here in Antananarivo. That's right, Madajazzcar.

As you might have guessed, it involves lots of jazz music. Apparently the Malagasy people love jazz. The festival last over a few weeks, many different bands play, and tons of people come out to hear the music.

A few friends of ours managed to get us invites to one of the concerts. The concert was in the Carlton, a really fancy hotel in the city. The Californian band Ozomatli played for an invitation only crowd… all invited by the American Embassy (but we got the tickets from Malagasy people). Really it was a rather small crowd. The band would be playing for later in the week for a much larger crowd on a bigger stage.

I have not seen that many American people in the same place at the same time. Over half the crowd was Malagasy, but there was a significant percentage that had some kind of tie to the Embassy, including Peace Corps in from all around the country.

The Malagasy opener was very traditional, but the American band was not your average jazz group. They even had their own rapper… which was interesting in a room full of well dressed, upper class Malagasy business people. The band was entertaining, as were the Americans dancing up a storm in front of the stage.

When Ozomatli first took the stage, their energy and enthusiasm was such a contrast to the rest of the evening, I laughed so hard I cried.

Another unforgettable, priceless moment.

The Joys of Mail (and a box)

2008-10-22T09:48:00.001-04:00

I have always liked mail. Not the just the "click a button and it's there" kind but the "I have to seriously put some thought into throwing this into other people's hands to get it to you" kind of mail. It is just so personal. And nice to know someone is thinking about you long enough to take that kind of time.

Finding out you have a slip in the mail and need to go pick up a box is much of the same. Putting letters and Cracker Jacks and a miniature set of dominoes so that you can play Chicken Foot takes some time and thought.

Thousands of miles away, the idea "it's a nice thought" does quite say it enough.

(i love emails too.)

Found a Friday Night Activity

2008-10-06T12:10:00.002-04:00

(October 3, 2008)

Mirana and her sister Aina told us about one of their favorite music artists (not Poopy) that were going to be in town. So we bought tickets.

And we pretty impressed by the turnout and general atmosphere of the concert. With the exception of the foreign lyrics, it sounded and looked like many of the concerts I have been to in America… not excluding Dave Barnes and Matt Wertz.

Complete with rather trendy musicians and screaming fans (many of which were girls), I might have imagined myself back in Athens if the language had not been so unknown.

They were good.

Perhaps it was the "pause" in music or maybe just the long week, but we got tired. We left 3 hours into the concert, and the band was still going strong.

The Music of Poopy

2008-10-06T12:09:00.001-04:00

(October 2, 2008)

Our first full day back, we had a lot to do. We went to the post office (to pick up a pretty awesome box for yours truly), the grocery store, the university, and then back home to make dinner for friends who were coming over that evening.

Even through the busyness, it was a good day. Crysti made chicken nuggets, I made mashed potatoes and cookies, and Lalaina showed up and helped with some veggies.

It was delicious, and good to have people in our home.

We were headed for the door when our friends knew they needed to head home because it was late. While doing so, we were talking about some of the things which do not translate well between Malagasy and English. Mirana mentioned a music artist named Poopy.

Apparently, she was really popular in Madagascar, but when she traveled to South Africa she was not so appreciated. At some point, someone explained to her why that might be. So she tried to change her name. Which did not seem to work either.

But Mirana said she really enjoyed the music of Poopy.

And Crysti and I just laughed and laughed.

Hey, what can we do with this avocado?

2008-10-06T12:08:00.001-04:00

(October 1, 2008)

Upon arriving back to our apartment, we had the usual things to do after being gone for a period of time. This including unpacking and checking all of the fresh food we had in the fridge.

Our avocados (which cost like 50 cents each) were starting to look a little bit too ripe, so I remarked that we would want to use them soon.

I then went into the bathroom, excuse me, water closet to wash my hands and noticed that my face had not particularly enjoyed the traveling I had recently done. So I suggested we make a facemask for ourselves.

For more than one reason, I shall not provide you with our recipe for homemade facemasks. Mostly because they may have caused more damage than they did good. Which was to be expected, because we had no idea how to make one.

And if you are wondering if we used chilled cucumbers on our eyes, the answer is yes. Absolutely we did.

The Ride Home

2008-10-06T12:07:00.001-04:00

(October 1, 2008)

Our ride to the city was bound for the rainforest, so my temporarily orphaned friends and I bought tickets for a taxi be home.

For comfort purposes between the four of us, we bought 7 seats. It promised to be at least a 4 hour ride back to Tana, and we did not really want to sit in each other's laps for that trip. As it was, there were still 17 people in a bus a little bigger than a minivan.

They asked us for our names when we purchased the tickets. We threw caution to the wind. Hoping we would not be stopped by any authorities on the ride, we decided to have a little fun. James Bond was first, so the ticket seller kindly wrote "007" down for rider #1. Then came Batman, Cinderella, and Tinker Bell.

It's the small things in life.

Mountains seem a little bit curvier when in a bus full of people that seems to be going faster than anything else has the ability to do.

But Tinker Bell made it back to her apartment without incident.

An Extinct Volcano!

2008-10-06T12:06:00.002-04:00

(September 30, 2008)

One the way to Antsirabe, Matt told us about going to a volcano. I don't think we really thought through what that entailed. But we went.

And we hiked.

When we stopped the car and got out, we were immediately bombarded by people who wanted to be our guides. Never mind that we could see where we were going just as easily as they could. They wanted to take us on the tour (and earn a little money).

It truly was beautiful. The trees generally made us think of Dr. Seuss and wonder if this was where he had found his inspiration. They were just so tall with puff balls at the top.

From above, the lake looked like the shape of Madagascar. Below, you could sit by the water (or jump in like Daniel did). And as narrow as the dirt paths were, our tour guides scaled it all without difficulty.

The volcano was awesome in the truest meaning of the word.

Antsirabe

2008-10-06T12:05:00.002-04:00

(September 29, 2008)

Our team took a little vacation. Antsirabe is about a 3 hour drive south of Tana.

3 hours around one mountain or another.

It is not for the weak of stomach. But the trip was a nice change of pace. It brought a sense of immediate calm. We wandered the city a bit, took some pictures, and hung out with a few families that lived in the town.

The city seems to not have nearly as many people. And VERY few taxi bes or taxis. Generally, people get around by pousse-pousse. There just are not the crowds.

We got a brief tour of one area of town, then stood uphill and downwind from the public water closet (aka bathroom) for about 20 minutes.

That being said, it was an encouraging time.

A table for 25, please… we want to sing

2008-10-06T12:03:00.002-04:00

(September 26, 2008)

I may have mentioned this before: there does not seem to be a whole lot to do in the evenings around this city. Comparatively speaking, of course.

When we first arrived, there was a sign for one thing that I saw all over town. Karaoke.

I don't really sing. And this has not been a typical way to contribute to self-embarrassment in the past, but I thought it could be interesting.

Friday night I went for the first time. The group started as being around 10 of us, but by the time we reached the place, we had 18. And by the time the night was over, more than 25 people had joined our group. Friends just continued to arrive.

Don't worry, I sang a few songs. A little bit of Backstreet Boys and Beach Boys, and it was a good time.

A Malagasy friend of ours, Lucy (whose father loves Peanuts and named her brother Linus), told us that a famous musician and comedian was also there….. So I tried not to outshine his abilities or anything.

Our First Day at the University of Antananarivo

2008-10-06T12:02:00.002-04:00

(September 25, 2008)

This week, we got on campus! That's right, our ministry officially got off the ground. Granted, it did not get too far off the ground, but a start is a start.

Students are currently preparing for their exams to begin. They have some crazy number (around 15) and for every class, it usually spells pass or fail. So pass them all (you get 2 months and 2 chances), take another year to get it done, or flunk out.

At any rate, there are a lot of people milling around the campus. We walked around for awhile, greeting people and getting a handle on where everything is situated. Then we maneuvered in the direction of the English Department. There we ran into a huge group of people studying The Rime of the Ancient Mariner. For their class, they have 7 pieces of British literature they must read and study, be able to interpret and summarize.

We chatted with them for awhile. Talked about what they were studying, where they are from, where they go to church, and anything else that came to mind.

It is truly amazing how open everyone is to just sitting down and starting a conversation. Even though I have a funny accent and sometimes talk so fast they have no idea what I am saying.

There are a few things I don't like…

2008-10-06T12:00:00.000-04:00

(September 22, 2008)

Like most people, I have some pet peeves. Things which really irk me.

The list is small:

-the sound of people eating

-winking

-useless noise interrupting useful silence

-wearing wet clothing, i.e. unannounced and unprepared for rain showers while I am outside

(this may not be all inclusive, but it gets the point across)

This past Monday we had a meeting with the man in charge of the big sports arena here in Tana. And to accompany the late afternoon showers of the few days previous, we had an early afternoon shower.

So we end up running (literally) in the rain. I should clarify. These are no pansy raindrops. I guess you could call them alligator tears. Although, I would like to see the alligator that has tears this big.

It was intense. So now I carry a poncho with me everywhere I go. And I am thinking of investing in an umbrella.

We Just Got Sneak-Responsible (just go with it, please. I know it doesn't really work.)

2008-09-22T04:46:00.001-04:00

Today was Sunday #6 in Madagascar, and we visited church #5. Generally speaking, I have enjoyed going around to all of these different churches, seeing how they do things, getting introduced, and meeting new people. But this afternoon something happened I did not plan for nor did I see coming.

Matt, our supervisor, told us that the church we were visiting has a youth meeting in the afternoon that we should go to. Here "youth" is not specific to middle and high school students. College students are also a part of a youth group.

We went to check out this program, assuming we would sit in and participate. And upon our entrance we were asked what our program was to be. Our plans for the service. What we wanted to do for the next hour and a half, as we were informed the event usually lasts. And first they wanted us to sing.

The four of us were a little bit terrified. I have not sung in front of people since high school. And I definitely did not bargain for getting up in front of the whole group to say anything.

God is faithful, and we threw a program together. We even sang some songs, taught the motions to "Every Move I Make," and played Gorilla, Man, Gun with the group. The whole shebang lasted close to 2 hours. But I was zapped when it was finished!

Petted Creatures

2008-09-22T04:44:00.002-04:00

We love our pets. My family included. If you have ever accompanied me home, you know we have quite a few. When I consider it, kind of seems like we have gone through every type of pet imaginable.

Here, it seems like I see a hundred dogs a day. Surprisingly, not near as many cats. But tons of dogs. They generally look as though the have little to eat and scrounge the ground for any scraps of food they might inhale.

At the same time, many families keep their own dogs. Some are pets and some are to guard house and belongings. You could say both serve their purpose.

Our next door neighbors do not have dogs.

When we first arrived they had a turtle and a turkey which roamed the back courtyard together. I do not think the turtle still remains with us. And I have my suspicions about the turkey that roams the yard. You see, the "original" turkey was really rather quiet. I cannot say that I ever really heard any noise from it.

The current turkey, on the other hand, sings (gobbles) to us. Sometimes it sounds like he is going a little mad. And then he chills out on the gobbling and goes into some pretty serious clucking.

Trust me, we will definitely know if this animal is exchanged for another of its kind.

*Updated: I did not see/hear the turkey outside this morning!

The Individual

2008-09-22T04:39:00.001-04:00

There is no such thing as a pedestrian right-of-way here. Every once in awhile I stumble across a worn and faded crosswalk. But mostly you have to throw caution to the wind, chance the sacrifice of your own body for the rest of your party, and walk when you see even the slightest break in the traffic pattern.

You see, here it is about the goal of the collective, not so much that of the individual. When considering the end goal of the Taxi be compared to that of the person trying to cross the street, the Taxi be wins every time.

Maybe it has something to do with valuing the individual human life. And maybe it has something to do with concern for the well-being of the group over the individual.

Still it could just mean the rules of the road are pointless.

Taxi be Fun Continues

2008-09-22T04:37:00.001-04:00

I think I experienced one of my favorite moments on a Taxi be.

It was truly incredible. Crysti and I were seated, not particularly crammed on this occasion on the bus. We were on our way…somewhere, and I noticed that the front passenger side door was having a difficult time closing. There was a younger girl sitting in the front seat, and she repeatedly tried to securely shut the door.

But it continue to bang back open the moment after it had been "closed." The man behind her tried to help, but it was to no avail. So they held onto the rope connecting the door and the roof of the van.

I am not sure if someone slacked up on the rope or dropped their end of the bargain, but the next thing I know, the door is banging open again.

So the guy who lets people on and off, takes everyone's bus fair (300 Ariary), and stands outside the bus yelling the location of stops a million words a minute came from the back of the bus to assess the situation. You see, on many buses, including this one the back door and not the side door which slides is used to enter an exit. There are usually four rows of seats with an aisle between. The tricky part, though, is that the aisle has seats which fold down or there are 2 x 2's which are placed across the aisle on the existing seats to form an additional seat.

Anyway, this man goes to the front to help. And while the banging of the front door randomly opening continues, the back door also swings open, because it has no one to hold it shut.

It was amazing. A glorious display of utter confusion.

And no one fell out.

BSF

2008-09-22T04:36:00.002-04:00

Bible Study Fellowship. It's all around the world, I have been told. Maybe began in Texas?

It is awesome, for more reasons than one.

Each week, men and women meet with their respective gender to discuss a Bible study curriculum. Everyone who participates in the study across the world does the same thing, reads the same verses, and answers the same questions.

And because it originates in the states, everyone does it in English. Which helps me out quite a bit. Our first week there, Crysti and I were somewhat surprised to see over 200 women at the mid-afternoon meeting.

We were also surprised to see Saholy, now a good friend of ours who helped to secure several meetings for us with "the responsible" of institutes, was the lecturer/women in charge of the whole shebang.

Turns out we are friends with a bigwig. Who knew?

"There's Two of Them!"

2008-09-22T04:33:00.001-04:00

Crysti and I go to the same cyber café. I think I may have mentioned it. It is close. We are in there three times a week or so, every week.

It is a rather swanky cyber café. The computers are new and the room is big with glass windows that overlook the street. Don't get me wrong, uploading anything is still something of a slow and painful process. But by comparison, here in Africa, it is a sweet place.

So one day last we, the two of us were sitting a computers and doing what we do. Generally it consists of checking our mail and calling a few loved ones. We are going about our business and all of the sudden Crysti yells "there's two of them." Now with a statement like that all kinds of things come to mind. Really, it could have been any number of things that she had found within her e-mails… or maybe a few birds on the windowsill (sometimes things like that happen).

Nope. She was referring to the two men (as opposed to only one man) who had been sitting us down and checking us out from our computers.

It's just not something you hear when you are talking about people. Usually something more profound and less insensitive comes out of the mouth.

Living Takes a Bit Longer

2008-09-22T04:31:00.000-04:00

There are not microwave dinners in this country.

No Hot Pockets that I am aware of.

Instead, we make everything from scratch. And we eat well, so you can just image some of the things we have cooked up. Some meals turn out a little iffy, but mostly they are good stuff. Like our homemade tortillas.

Only one problem with those… the second time they turned out bite-sized. Still good, just in miniature.

It is just one of the little things about life here in Africa. Normal every day things, like driving 10 blocks or preparing dinner, even cleaning clothes, they all take a chunk of time out of the day. Another good reason that life seems to move a little slower than time at home. All of that extra time is needed to get things done.

We are going to be famous

2008-09-22T04:22:00.001-04:00

That's right. I am going to be known across the island.

Well, maybe not. But we are supposed to be on TV. I don't know when. We went in this week and had a trial run. A mock interview on an English conversation show. Behind the desk and in front of the cameras.

I tried to be all professional. To speak slowly so non native speakers would stand a chance to understand. To sit up straight so I did not seem so much like Quasimodo. Tyra would have been proud at my attempts to elongate my neck.

When we were all finished and walking down the hill and away from the compound that is the Madagascar Broadcasting System, Lalaina our dear friend and translator turned to me to say that this was just the practice. But that next time I might want to wear some makeup because I was going to be on TV.

I might not make the cut after all :)

Souvenir Shopping

2008-09-14T10:41:00.004-04:00

Crysti and I have a plan for souvenirs. If we buy things slowly all along the way, then we won't have a huge overhaul of gifts to buy when December rolls around. Also, if we buy things for other people now, we can use them before we give them away :)

So we went shopping (on the same day that I face planted). There are a few stores very close to one another that seem somewhat aimed at foreigners looking for things to take home…. And it is fairly close to our apartment.

We found some things, bought some things, and were still looking around when I saw several strings of beads that looked interesting. They were all on a pole together and looked a little precarious.

Crysti called a girl over, and she found a set of beads to buy. But after she left, I found a set I liked.

I decided to get it myself.

Remember when I told you it precariously situated? So you should not be surprised that the whole bar fell down onto the table below. Followed by a loud bang and then every worker in the store converged on the spot.

Needless to say, I got out of there as quickly as possible.

Just another manic Monday.

The First Rain

2008-09-14T10:41:00.003-04:00

The rainy season is not supposed to begin until November, at the earliest. So you can imagine my surprise when I woke up one morning to find my clothes, that were hanging on the clothesline, wetter then they had been before. I had no idea what was going on.

I left my clothes and went on with my day. And realized that the day was becoming more and more cloudy as it continued.

When I got back to the apartment, I immediately brought my clothes inside. And just in time, too. At first the rain was light, but then came the downpour. No thunder and lightning. Just a whole lot of water falling from the sky. The street noises were drowned out and the normal crowds were nowhere to be seen.

I had not seen rain in over a month. It was a foreign thing to me.

Face plant on the Sidewalk

2008-09-14T10:39:00.001-04:00

I ate sidewalk this morning.

This is how it happened. I was leaving my apt. Crysti and I were on our way to the bus stop and as I walked onto the landing from our apt building, I saw that our bus was at the stop.

So I ran down the stairs. The driver flashed his lights at us and I motioned to say wait!

But I still wanted to hurry, just to show we were making every effort not to delay the bus. I took off running. And immediately found myself impeded.

I was stopped by a grate that sticks up slightly from the ground. To be exact, it caught ahold of my Chaco. And I fell.

But I did not just fall. I fell hard, hitting both my hands, and my shoulder and left side of my body. And then I slid a little.

It did not feel good. It also did not feel good that looking up, I was faced with all of the Malagasy people on the bus watching me peel myself from the sidewalk and walk to get on the bus.

But I did get on the bus. And for some reason, my body reacted poorly to all of this. I started to clam up. And sweat began to pour from my face. I knew I was going to throw up. We were stopped at a bus stop and I began to wig out a little. It was just not a normal way to respond (I had looked at my foot and saw that a blood blister was forming).

Finally the bus started on its way again. I got some wind and felt much better. My wounds have already begun to heal… and I fall enough that my pride was not much of an issue.

But for the rest of the day my body and clothes looked as though someone had kicked me around on the ground for awhile.

FIFA: Madagascar vs. Botswana

2008-09-14T10:38:00.001-04:00

I went to my first ever professional soccer (football, if you will) game/match on Sunday. It was a FIFA World Cup qualifying game/match, and it was spectacular.

We got the cheap seats and sat across the stadium from the majority of the crowds, with a perfect view of the "Antananarivo" block letters on the side of the hill. Prior to the game/match, everyone told us to expect a loss. Apparently the Malagasy people are not known for their height or speed.

But we were eager to go.

I don't have anything to compare it to, but I loved it. The PA system played the Botswana national anthem perfectly but messed up on the Malagasy anthem. So everyone joined in to sing it instead.

When Madagascar scored, within a few seconds the national flag was spread out across a huge span of the crowd almost immediately. It was incredible.

Two other things:

1. I did not see anyone painted up as I am used to seeing at football games

2. The "halftime show" was a Malagasy man in the section beside us break dancing for the crowd that could see him. It was a sight to behold.

Sunday #4 in Madagascar: English Chapel

2008-09-14T10:37:00.002-04:00

It is almost unbelievable that I have been in Mada for over three weeks.

English Chapel is just that. A church which is conducted in English. Many people attend merely to further improve their language skills, but many also attends because they enjoy both the fellowship and the worship. Most of the people who attend are Malagasy natives.

This was the first Sunday when I felt like we actually knew people around Tana. Several members of the congregation, we have already crossed paths with, and it was good to see them again and to talk to them more.

Bonus: the church is on… a hill! Surprising, I know, but it has an interesting view of the city (always unique).

The Only Movie Theater in Madagsacar

2008-09-14T10:37:00.001-04:00

There is no movie theater in Madagascar.

But some of the Spanns introduced us to the next best thing. There is a quaint little place near the Spann family home, where you can eat dinner, and then choose the movie you would like to watch. There are theater style seats and the movie projects upon the wall.

Sure it is not the real thing, but it is the next best. And seriously, a quaint idea if you think about it. (If you are a Gilmore Girls fan, it seems something straight from the show.)

The Zoo!

2008-09-14T10:36:00.003-04:00

I saw lemurs! AND baobab trees! Lalaina and Mandimby took our team to the zoo (where foreigners pay 10,000 Ariary and natives pay 200 Ariary).

It was tons of fun. Nothing was in its natural habitat, obviously, but we were able to see a lot of the things people think of when you mention Madagascar (yes, we saw foosas and they look like large house cats).
It was another glimpse at the majesty of God. All of these things that dot the landscape of this island. Things many people are used to seeing, and all arranged in perfect order. And yet so new to me.
Zoo day is always splendid, but I did enjoy one part of this occasion particularly well. The ring-tailed lemurs are given an island in the middle of a pond. That's right, they can see all the space they could ever dream of, and yet they are trapped onto a small, confined island. Held in by a moat. In this moat, there are trees, but the lemurs do not know these trees. SO they do not* use them as an escape route.
*I choose to believe that at least one lemur got wise to this plan at captivity, and traversed these trees to make it to the mainland.

The Chinese Market

2008-09-14T10:36:00.002-04:00

Seems there is a market much like this one in every large city I have ever visited.

It is huge, it sells everything, you have to bargain for a god price, and you have to watch the belongings you enter the joint with.

Clothes shopping is not really going to happen for me in this country. I feel as though I am close to a foot taller than most of the women I see, and God decided to give me far and away more curves than they posses. My bank account appreciates, but I have found that upon leaving the Chinese market, your self esteem may or may not still be in tact.

Luckily Crysti and I made some friends, who took us to this Malagasy shopping mall. It was a great day to spend time and get to know them better. And, they bargained me into a sweet handbag.

The Post Office

2008-09-14T10:35:00.001-04:00

I got ripped off by the post office.

I guess you could say it is just one of those things that comes along with the territory. I mean, I speak neither French nor Malagasy very well. And these happen to be the two main languages spoken on the island. So I would probably have to be the most fortunate person in the world (or have been given more than my share of guardian angels) to have escaped the country and paid exactly what I should for everything I purchased.

But this was my second round of mailings and as I walked away I realized that they had charged me for 7 postcards when in reality I had only sent out 6. Now sum of the money in question totals about $1. But it is the whole idea of being shortchanged by the postal service.

You probably know that USPS loyalty runs in my family. Still I must ask, how often are people overcharged in our own postage facilities?

Jim Carrey Loves Agriculture

2008-09-14T10:34:00.001-04:00

Lalaina is one of our translators. She will be working mostly with Crysti and me. Mandimby will be working with the boys. So our team number increased, and it is awesome.

She is cute, times a million. And well, she is extremely helpful in all situations when either Malagasy or French are the language of choice.

After our meeting at the GBU, she grabbed Crysti and I to tell us something she was really excited about. Jim Carrey was in the country. He met with the president. About what? You might be inclined to ask.

In this 3rd world country, the funny man himself discussed agricultural advances and capabilities with the leader of this island.

GBU and ISCAM meetings

2008-09-14T10:32:00.003-04:00

These were big days. On Tuesday, we met with a ministry that has been on campus here in Tana for over 30 years. We have questions, heard stories, and received suggestions on what we might want to plan on doing as we organize a more widespread ministry.

The GBU currently consists of 16 "cell groups" a few of which meet at institutes other than the University of Tana. They have an incredible system in place, but maybe not the man power to work in every institute across the city.

Our meeting was an encouragement to what my team is trying to do. You see, these are Malagasy people who have been hard at work trying to do the same thing we are here to help get accelerated into a full steam ministry.

If the GBU meeting was an encouragement… well then our meeting at ISCAM was like a triple shot of encouragement (sorry, that's all I had).

We met with the president of the institute, an English professor, and another official at the institute. They heard about who we are, individually and as a group. We heard about the institute, all they are doing, and everything they want the institute to turn into.

And at the end of our meeting, the president of the institute opened the doors to pretty much everything we have in mind for our ministry. He was happy to have us there.

Here's a picture of my apartment.

Rice Fields

2008-09-06T05:27:00.003-04:00

I may have mentioned the Malagasy obsession with rice.

If not… please allow me to correct that mistake now. The Malagasy people love rice.

They eat more of it per capita than the population of any other country on the planet (and all other planets, as far as I am aware of). Breakfast, lunch, and dinner includes some variant of rice for the traditional families.

To supply all of this, it should be no surprise that in almost any direction you look, from any given point in the city, if there is a plot of flat land it is occupied by a "rice swamp." I don't exactly know the mechanics of growing rice, but the patches look like mini swamps.

Coming back to the apartment from language lessons, we can cut throw the rice fields from a bus stop to our apt. Which I think is just fabulous. So I got Crysti to walk the path with me one day this week. Problem was, we took a wrong turn. Not wrong, but a little on the late side. While the whole path is pretty narrow, we happened upon a section that was rocky, uneven, and really quite tiny.

My general motto when I have encounter such a situation is to run with it, I mean go as quickly as I can. So I left Crysti in the dust- literally. She is somewhat afraid of falling into water and terrified of walking across such a narrow path (pansy).

Still, it made me feel a little bit more like I belong here in Africa. It was such a native thing to do. I don't think the people who live in the villages often see French people walking along the paths in the rice swamps.

The Cookie Shop

2008-09-06T05:26:00.005-04:00

There is a place close to the downtown area that gives something of a hometown feel. For you Athens people, it is like a scaled-down Zim's.

The story goes like this:

A Malagasy woman traveled to the United States to further her education. After she completed school, she again returned to her homeland and needed something to do. So she started an American café.

It is really the closest thing we can find to American cuisine. It is cute, modernly adorned, and I think the only place in town that has any books in English and no other languages. (Clans of Mormon missionaries seem to like it too, which I find interesting.)

It is tucked away. Somewhat hidden on a back street (but close to the American Cultural Center). There are always people inside, but I have yet to see a wait to be seated for lunch.

I have been twice. Both times I got a tuna melt (on a bagel). And it was delicious.

Mosquitoes

2008-09-06T05:26:00.004-04:00

There are a lot of mosquitoes in Madagascar.

A LOT.

We are in the highlands, so there is not really an issue of Malaria, but there is a reason these bugs are called pests. They like to buzz by your ear in the middle of the night. Just close enough to let you know that they are around and could reek havoc on your skin if they so chose. It is a game they play. I think they have huddle time just before I crawl into bed, and they break as soon as they know I am sleeping.

So Crysti and I are on a crusade. (My old roommate and I had a similar vendetta with flies.) There are quite a few footprints around the walls of our apartment. Not because we like to walk on the walls, but because we have found the best method of extermination to be aiming and throwing flip-flops.

I think our game one-ups that of the mosquitoes. And it's good entertainment when we have no plans or transportation and the town shuts down before 8:oo pm.

Mark Richt Would be Proud

2008-09-06T05:25:00.002-04:00

I was walking down the street one day and encountered something a little startling.

There, on the mannequin in the store window was a cap. And not just any cap, but a Georgia Bulldog cap.

I was intrigued. Unfortunately, that day I was not able to walk in the store. I snagged this picture, but by the time I went in to investigate further, the cap had been bought. Obviously y another fan.

And when I did get the chance to enter the store. I found it quite interesting; it was a really pricey store. Selling items of Dolce & Gabana clothing and Dior perfumes and the like.

I always knew the Georgia Bulldogs were high class.

Midnight Crazies

2008-09-06T05:24:00.001-04:00

Generally speaking, I am a morning person. I enjoy waking up a little before everyone else and getting things done for the day. I like getting started before the sun comes up. It makes me feel a little like I am winning some kind of race.

But I am most productive at night. And not necessarily night by Malagasy standards. Here, it dusk is around 6:00 and by 6:30 it is pitch black outside. Which means the whole city is basically shut down before 7:00 pm. And my midnight crazies set in well after everyone else in the city is tucked into their beds.

This is not every night, mind you. Some nights I go on to bed around 10, an appropriate hour. But sometimes, when my day has been too good, or I have so much energy that it seems a waste to ignore, the midnight crazies set in.

I have to admit, this term is not my own. My brother's cat goes nuts each night around midnight. She chases things that are not there and bats at nothing but air. I don't do the chasing things or the batting at air. But I do dance a lot. Sometimes I am productive and do the dishes or sweep while I dance. Other times I just dance. (Remember those sweet dance skills I talked about after Step Up 2?)

It makes me think of David. I realize that there is no ark in my room or near my apartment that I know of. But still, it is nice to think of dancing before God.

And if we're being honest, why wouldn't we?

Vision Valley

2008-09-06T05:20:00.000-04:00

It was our third Sunday in Madagascar, and again we went to a new church.

This one was on the outskirts of the city, toward the airport which we have seen since our landing. And again we were asked to introduce ourselves, tell where we were from, and a little about what will be doing over the next few months.

Sometimes, I feel like a little bit of a novelty. We are different than many of the people around the city… we kind of stick out. Many people are eager to talk to us, in one way or another. They want to speak English. ( Or they want to speak French. ) They want to know more about the place we come from. My team is an easy target and source of information. And it is not a negative thing by any means. We attract attention = we attract new people.

The church we attended this week was a little different. It was almost like a little piece of an old comfort that I have not seen in awhile. Sure, we were the new missionaries, but the service was in English and we were not the only Americans or missionaries in the room.

We got phone numbers, met new people, and found a place that feels a little more like life at home if ever we find that we need such a thing.

English Club: Mandehandeha

2008-09-06T05:16:00.003-04:00

Only a few years ago, English was declared an official language of the island nation of Madagascar. Recently there has been an abundance of people who want to learn English. Everywhere we go, there are groups and clubs of people who meet together and talk about things in this foreign language. Many of the groups meet as Bible studies. Some people come for the Bible. Some people come for the English.

And some people come for both.

On Saturday, a few of the ladies we met at IBC (one of the churches we have attended) invited us to take a tour of the city with their English club. SO WE WENT!

We were all super excited. 1) We were getting out into the city and seeing the sites 2) We were going with a group of students around our age.

Aina and her sister were our tour guides, and they gave us a wonderful view of the city. We walked up and down and up and down (remember there are a thousand hills in the city). They took us to the old city, to the Queen's Palace that is under construction, the historical Prime Minister's office, the President's home, and a million other places and then back down the hill through a really swanky area and down to Ambotsotovo (close to Analakely).

After a little over four hours of walking… we walked a little more back to our apt.

It was marvelous to see the views of the city.

Girls' Night #2

2008-09-06T05:12:00.001-04:00

This time we had girls' night at the Spann's house. Which was spectacular.

The only thing that could really follow "Step Up" was "Step Up 2: The Streets." Crysti and I knew this, so we made arrangements to make it happen. (That's code for we went to the video rental place and got the movie.) The "video rental place" is really an interesting creation. Many of the movies are in French, and most are made/gotten by less than reputable means (no one is injured in the making of these movies…. that I know of).

Nonetheless, we watched the movie. The general consensus between all us girls was that it was not as good as the first.

But all things serve a purpose. So now I have a few more sweet dance skills under my belt. And our girls' night was fantastic.

Analakely

2008-09-06T05:10:00.000-04:00

Today was the last Friday of our language lessons. Vololona thought we might need a little bit of training navigating the streets and markets of the downtown area. So she took us on a field trip. We hopped on a Taxi be (still a favorite of mine) and traversed the streets to actually discover that we could walk to the downtown area in about 30 minutes.

Once there, we walked around. Through the market, past the fish market and into the Chinese market.

The market is intense. Whether or not it is market day, the place is always teeming with people. They are all over the streets, scattered throughout the "stores" or packed onto the buses. It is a lot like the busiest flea market you have ever been to, times 20. Our equivalent of a Wal-Mart. But all outside. With more people. And more randomness.

Thursday at the Market

2008-08-31T10:05:00.002-04:00

I think I told you Wednesday is market day. That's still true, but that is a complicated statement that I should qualify.

Most people go out o the market and buy what they need on Wednesdays, but all over the city, there are specific markets that are only open on certain days of the week. Today we went to the Thursday market. It was quite the experience.

It was just on the other side of the center of downtown, about a 30 minute drive from here. We went through a part of town we had not yet seen, including Lac Anosy with the Black Angel (which is really gold and threw off a few Amazing Race contestants, I've been told). The market itself was at the foot of a hill, though millions of things around here fit that description, right underneath white block letters reading "Antananarivo" (think the Hollywood sign).

Kristi Emeish led Crysti and I to the end, and we worked our way through. Learning along the way how to talk the merchants down and what prices we should be asking for items. Everything is in kilos, which I'm not really familiar with, but man, I can tell you what I should pay for one. When we loaded the truck, we had lettuce, fresh rosemary, oranges, bananas, strawberries, yams, potatoes, cucumbers, green beans and a pineapple. And we paid less than 10,000 Ariary for it all.

Ladies and gentlemen, that's not even $7.

The Place I Call Home

2008-08-31T10:04:00.000-04:00

When you think of living in Africa, do any thoughts come to mind?

Huts? Living in the open air?

It is not a far leap for the mind to go, but my apartment does not fit any such molds. If you are harboring any doubts about how I am living… trust me, all is well. I would upload a picture to prove it, but that would take over an hour.

I have gotten used to this as my home and not just an extended hotel stay, but today I woke up in a very different manner than most mornings.

We have language study at 8:00; I usually wake up around 6:00. The sun is always up before I am (it goes down before 6 pm, and I think it rises around 5:30 am). But I am never bothered by that. You might ask, "Anna, why does the scorching African sun not bother you in the midst of your sleep?"

I'll tell you, it is because I am barricaded in. We live on the second story of a 6 story building. And while the Malagasy people are not violent, theft is something of an issue, especially in the markets.

As a preventative measure for this issue of theft, we have hardcore shades, aka gates, that we roll over our windows when we are not at home and at night. We have a guard outside the building, so these are just a secondary precaution.

They also double as the sustainer of the small cavern I call my room. That's right, with the blinds rolled down, I have no idea whether my clock is telling me it's midnight or noon (really, I have yet to sleep later than 8).

This morning, when I woke to a bright and shining morning, I knew immediately that something was wrong. I knew I had forgotten something. Or someone had played a dirty trick.

So I forgot to roll down my window's gate. But turns out I can find a million things to do at 5:45 in the morning.

Taxi be #1

2008-08-31T10:02:00.000-04:00

After two weeks in Madagascar, I have been feeling as though it is my home. I know my way around pretty well and know how to speak (a little) as though I am in fact Malagasy. I can even bargain my way into a cheap Taxi ride.

So my experience today on the Taxi be was a little but out of the ordinary.

Being in Africa, my skin color is something many people do not often see. I have never really thought that I am a very pale girl… but by comparison, I understand what I appear to be.

Today while waiting at a bus stop, I experienced something I have not before. Crysti and I were packed into very small space, and I was glancing around to see if they were going to shove even more people on the bus. I noticed a woman holding a child in her arms standing at the bus stop. I also noticed she was pointing at something on the bus.

Now, being who I am, I assumed that something was going on around me, or that she knew someone on the Taxi be. So I looked around again. Nope. No one had taken notice of her in turn, and there was nothing else going on inside the bus. I looked back at her. She was still pointing, while saying something to the child in her arms.

I cannot be sure what she said. Obviously, I did not hear her. From the appearance of the situation, it seemed the mother was explaining to her child that we were what many Europeans/Americans/white people look like.

It was quite a bizarre experience.

Sunday #2 in Tana

2008-08-31T10:01:00.000-04:00

While we are beginning a college ministry in the city, our team is not associated with one particular church. So we have now visited two churches… both of which we have been introduced at and welcomed with open arms.

This week we went to the Spann's church, IBC. When we got there, they we all ready for us. We were a little late, but the greeter directed us to a row of four seats where headsets awaited us.

We donned the sets and the sermon was interpreted for our team and the Spann family.

It was pretty awesome to hear both the preacher and the member of the congregation, saying the same thing in two different languages.

The church sermon typically last for around two hours, followed by a twenty minute period of small group/talkback time. And as is custom here in Africa, there is a receiving line which everyone participates in. It starts with the first person to leave and as others leave, they shake hands, greet each other and then join the line.

It is an interesting thing about the community of believers. All over the world it is different, but ultimately, all over the world it is still a community. It still consists of children of God who have experienced the love of God.

And who enjoy sharing the love of God with others.

Taxi be

2008-08-31T10:00:00.000-04:00

While I am still waiting for things to really kick off here in Madagascar, I think I have already discovered what my greatest source of entertainment is going to be.

First, let me tell you a little about possibilities:

1. I do not have a television in my apartment. Really, there is not a need.

2. There is a movie rental place where I can get a rather large selection of American movies (maybe in English) which were obtained by questionable means… but it is a little bit of a distance and some trouble to get to.

3. Once we get our ministry off and running, I will have far less time to watch either of these two options.

4. There is one movie theater in town, its movies are either Malagasy or French (but only sometimes).

5. So far, I have not really heard anything about drama schools or performing arts centers that might do theatrical productions.

You see, conventional entertainment is not so much available here. And that is just fine, but early on I realized that I would need a source different than usual.

The Taxi be is a little bit different than the Dala dala. For one thing, they are smaller, there are more routes, and they generally insist we sit and not stand. Does not mean, however, that you cannot shove 25 people into a Toyota van and call it transportation.

SO this is to be my entertainment for the next four months. I really feel as though the possibilities are endless. I already have a stockpile of stories to fill you in on.

My First Experience in a Taxi in Madagascar

2008-08-31T09:56:00.000-04:00

I have been in more Dala dalas and Taxi bes than I can count. I think I have almost been able to master the public transportation system around our neighborhood. I know the numbers, I know the signs to look for, I even know what our bus looks like. I think I could find a way to get to just about any place in Tana.

But for the first time, yesterday I had to catch a taxi.

It started simply enough. We talked the two boys on our team, Daniel and Jason, into cooking us dinner. We in turn agreed to bake cookies in exchange. But dinner was to be at 6… a time on Fridays when the whole of Tana is trying to find their way somewhere.

We waited at the bus stop for more than ten minutes. And in that time, three 192's came by. All of which were filled to the brim with people. They did not even stop to consider picking up more people. There was just no way it was going to work.

SO I stuck out my hand for a taxi. And one immediately came to a halt a few yards from me.

He asked for cat mil ariary (5,000), we told him we would give him efatra arivo (4,000), and he told us to get in.

It was a VW bug from the 60's or so, and it sounded like the whole thing was going to fall apart at any moment. We stopped to get gas, aka he filled up a giant Coke bottle that was stowed in his trunk. He often turned the car off and we coasted until we hit another hill (which is quite often here in the city of hills).

One small child crossed our path and thought he was about to meet his doom. I could hear him scream even over the horn honking behind us. Truth be know, we were several yards from him, but he got nervous.

We made it safely to dinner and then back later… which was a much less upsetting ride.

The Ambassador

2008-08-22T09:02:00.000-04:00

We all had to register with the American Embassy, so we went in to fill out paperwork. And while we were there Taisir (Emeish) got us in to meet the ambassador. It was interesting. We sat around; he talked about never staying in one place with his family; he pointed out the poverty in Africa (which I thought was kind of odd. It would be difficult not to see.). I thought his job and position interesting.

Here’s the thing, though. By U.S. standards there is a lot of poverty. But life is different here. Don’t get me wrong, there is still a lot of need amongst the people. There is a lot that we can do to help alongside other humanitarian organizations. There are people who are genuinely hungry, who have physical needs. Who have spiritual needs.

But I would be disappointed to see the island growing itself into a miniature version of America. We have a decent system to operate on… one that generally works for us. Madagascar is developing the same. A system that works well for the Malagasy people.

Amongst the Malagasy and in this place, God is at work. I think that is the most interesting thing of all. That more than anything else makes me excited to be here.

Greater things have yet to come

Greater things are still to be done, here.

Just in Time

2008-08-22T09:01:00.001-04:00

In the interest of full disclosure, I should let you know that as of today, I was coming dangerously close to the end of the line of my clean underwear. Truth be known, I thought I had brought enough to cover all of my bases, but our washing machine was still not operable this morning, and I got worried.

Luckily I was quickly able to use the Spanns washer and dryer and the problem was averted. But I would prefer not to encounter another call as close as that one.

Girls Night!

2008-08-22T09:00:00.002-04:00

Here in Tana we are working with two missionary families. The Spanns are a clan of six; the Emeish family have four. Since we got off the plane, they have been supportive, welcoming, and a general comfort here in a foreign land. Anything we might need in our apartment, no matter how small, they eager to help.

Our team has served as part of an answer to prayers. The other parts are two journey girls coming in late November and two other missionary families already in route as well. It is true this island is cut off from the world, and the families serving here feel it as definitely as anyone else.

Last night, we invite the teenage girls to our apartment, there are three of them, and we all genuinely had a good time.

Crysti and I went out exploring and found a pizza place near our apartment. We ordered substance there, and continued on to a little bakery where we were able to find other tasty treats to serve as our “midnight snacks.”

Awesome events of the night:

1) Colored pencil drawings from everyone to serve as wall decorations in our apt.

2) Foot soaking and pedicures

3) Never Been Kissed (yes I told the story of the first time I saw the movie, I was in middle school, we all went for Ashley’s birthday. Still enjoy the movie!)

4) Piling under Anna’s sheets because no one really expects Africa to be so chilly.

5) Step Up (must I say more?)

Antananarivo: a city of a thousand hills

2008-08-22T08:59:00.005-04:00

In Dar, my team made a lot of jokes about the existence of this big ‘ole island. Apart from the animated adaptation, no one knew much about the place. When we tried to ask questions, we mostly heard that it was out of the way and not a place a person traveled to on a whim.

I understand why, I was in a plane for well over 20 hours just to get here. It was quite a trek, but pretty exciting to get off the plane and know you are going to be on solid ground for the next four months.

We landed on Friday August 15^th, had a little orientation and an extremely long grocery store ordeal on Saturday, our first Malagasy church service experience and s trip to the college campus on Sunday, and our first of 10 days of Malagasy language training on Monday.

It was a bit of a torrent of activities which might have exhausted me a little.

Here’s a bit of Malagasy for you (keep in mind it is a language spoken on basically two islands in the whole world):

iray, roa, telo, efatra, dimy, enina, fito, sivy, folo (numbers 1 – 10)

Salama (hi, how are you?)

Azafady (please/excuse me)

Misy Miala (let me off!) This one helps with transportation on the Taxi be.

Veloma (goodbye)

South Africa

2008-08-22T08:59:00.004-04:00

After 10 days of learning a lot of things that might (but might not) apply to the people and place I was going, my team set out for our huge island set off in its own little world. But first there was to be a detour… a short pit stop I was extremely excited about.

After leaving five or so pounds of unnecessary items in Dar (so that I would fit new and unknown weight requirements) my 44 pounds of uncompromised luggage and I set off for the airport. My team boarded a plane, and I was almost too excited to take a nap.

The sun was on its downward slope, aiming itself right at my window… and that was not conducive to sleeping anyway, but it did give my right arm a little bit of a tan.

One night in the country may not have been quite enough, but it was marvelous to see a familiar face, and good times eating dinner in the city.

DFAs

2008-08-22T08:58:00.006-04:00

As I mentioned, much of what we did in Dar es Salaam was meant to prepare us for wherever we ended up across Africa. So my partner, Crysti and I were assigned a Tanzanian partner who walked around with us and helped to translate… really did most of the talking due to the whole language barrier situation. So the three of us, Crysti, Geofrey, and I walked around a “suburb” of Dar and made attempts to strike up conversation, talk about our lives, talk about their lives, talk about Jesus’ life… and so on. It was pretty much a “let’s get you guys out of your comfort zone so you can get to work” situation.

And when transportation to the site is a dala dala, comfort zones go straight out the window.

The dala dala is public transportation. It typically involves a van or bus of varying size, from a Toyota van to almost school bus size, and the object of the game is to fit as many people inside as physically possible. And believe you me, these people love to win the game. There is always room for one more!

The DFAs (Daily Field Assignments) were a great relief to all 37 of us being confined to the grounds of the Episcopal Conference Center. We loved finally going out into the city and actually starting to believe that we were in Africa, with actual African people.

Indian Ocean

2008-08-22T08:58:00.005-04:00

After almost two weeks of wearing ankle length skirts with slips and showing generally as little skin as possible in a humid 90 degrees, it felt a little bit awkward to walk around in only a tankini (the bathing suit of choice for youth groups and missionaries). But the beach was marvelous, the day splendid. An appropriate way to end the time we had spent with all of our new friends.

Friar Cam

2008-08-22T08:56:00.002-04:00

Tanzania was all about coming to terms with the fact that we are in Africa, and that I am not really allowed to leave the presence of my partner Crysti. Every student participating in the Hands On program was there, all meeting and greeting and praying for one another as we divided and went throughout central and south eastern Africa.

It was a good time. We worshipped a lot, ate together (mostly the same thing meal after meal) and we learned how not to die via unwashed fruit and vegetables. Oh, and look up mango flies, because the lesson on those severely freaked us out.

We also played Uno. And even more exciting, we played killer Uno. Don’t think it a pansy game, because it is rather intense.

But more awesome was the experience we had one night while playing the game. The Conference Center was an Episcopal place, and there were friars and nuns chilling out across the grounds. I don’t know that I would have previously put these things together, but apparently they belong.

So a group of us were in a lobby area, and there was a nun sitting on the other side of it watching TV. She was watching what appeared to be a talk show. But not just any talk show. One involving friars, monks and nuns. True, she was the target audience, and she did look interested in the subject matter. But there is one thing I believe you should all know about. It’s a little thing called the Friar Cam. It’s like when you are watching football, and the game cuts to the “Coach’s Cam.” But ten times more awesome.

Because the friar cam really just pans around the room to give you the full display of all the people in the room. It is fantastic. You should check it out sometime.

Loss

2008-08-22T08:54:00.003-04:00

In Tanzania I learned what it felt like to be a world away from the people I love. Life tends to continue even while we are in another room. Or on a different continent.

A celebration of life I wish I could have been there for, but happy to have known the life celebrated.

I miss you all. I love you all. And in it all, I know God is sovereign.

oops

2008-08-21T10:22:00.003-04:00

I know I told you all to look here... but I encountered a problem.

Everything should be up and running tomorrow :)